Valve keeper inserting tool



March 24, 1942. A. c. CURLEE VALVE KEEPER INSERTING TOOL Filed April 29, 1940 Aron CZCurZe,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE KEEPER INSERTING TOOL Aron C. Curlee, Littleton, Colo. Application April 29, 1940, Serial No. 332,391

1 Claim.

This invention relates to valve keeper inserting tools and has for an object to provide a simplified tool to facilitate easy handlingof split tubular cone-shaped valve keepers, and to permit proper positioning of the keeper on a valve stem.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character having a compressible grip adapted to spread the releasable keeper holding means of the tool upon pressure being applied to the grip.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool having flattened keeper supports for the respective sections of the split keeper and to provide abutting finger portions and resilient means for urging the sections of the keeper into abutting engagement with the fingers.

A further object is to provide a tool of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a tool constructed in accordance with the invention showing the tool associated with the conventional poppet valve construction.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the tool shown gripping the sections of the keeper.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the tool.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the tool showing the sections of a conventional split keeper apart prior to their application.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of tool holding the keeper.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, a tool is shown which is primarily adapted to insert and position removable two-piece tubular valve keepers A within an annular groove B in a valve stem C adjacent its lower end.

the

herent spring action of the wire.

The main portion of the tool is formed of a length of spring wire l0 bent and flattened intermediate its ends to provide a compressible loop handle H. The shanks l2 and I3 of the wire l0 are disposed in crosswise relation so. as to be normally urged toward one another by the in- The shanks are ofiset forward of their crossing so as to lie in the same plane, and are turned inwardly as shown at M and (5 in Figure 3 and terminate in oppositely disposed half ring-like jaw members l6 and I1, having upstanding fingers l8 and I9 which are adapted to be yieldably held to contact their opposing faces in abutting engagement by the spring action of the loop handle H, as best shown in Figure 3. The fingers l8 and I9 at the free extremities of the jaw members l6 and I! are shorter and thinner than the fingers l8 and I9 formed at the opposite extremities of the members.

A pair of spring wire arms 20 and 2| are secured at their rear ends to the rear ends of the shanks l2 and [3 by sleeves 22 and 23. The arms extend outwardly and forwardly along the shanks l2 and I3 and then are turned inwardly in advance of the jaw members I6 and [1, then are curved around the jaw members to form arcuate jaws 24 and 25, having inside angularly disposed grip faces 26 and 21, as shown in Figure 7. The jaws 24 and 25 are urged toward the fingers l8 and I9 and downwardly on the jaw members 16 and I! by the spring tendency of the arms 20 and 2|. The jaws 24 and 25 rest and slide laterally on the flattened portions of the jaw members .lBand l1.

To apply the keeper sections A to the tool the extended ends of the curved jaws 24 and 25 are spread apart, by compressing the handle loop I I, to permit the sections of the keeper A to be placed on the flattened portions of the jaw members I6 and I! in their respective positions to abut their inner edges against the upstanding fingers l8 and [9 as shown in Figure 6. The sections of the keeper are urged by the fingers to engage the inclined faces 26 and 21 of the jaw members, which faces conform to the peripheral contour of the sections of the keeper A, as above described, and as also shown in Figure 6.

After the keeper A is releasably held in the tool, as above described, the object is to place the keeper A in the groove B, to be held therein by a recessed collar D, slidably mounted on the valve stem C. The collar receives the keeper A within the recess of the collar when the valve spring E is released from its compression by the conventional valve lifter F in the usual manner.

In applying the sections of the keeper A to the tool, th shanks l2 and I3 are spread apart by compressing the loop handle I I and then the middle finger of one hand is inserted between the shanks l2 and I3 to prevent the jaw members [6 and I! from contacting one another. The forefinger and thumb of the hand are engaged against the outer edges of the jaw members l6 and H to hold the tool steady. The sections of the keeper A are then applied to rest on the jaw members I6 and i1 between the fingers l8 and I9 and between the spring arms 24 and 25. Then the operator pulls his finger from between the shanks l2 and I3 to allow the jaw members I6 and I! to meet whereupon the jaws 24 and 25 spring toward the fingers l8and IQ of the jaw members IB and I1 and bear upon the curved peripheral conical surfaces of the sections of the keeper A.

In operation the tool is moved in position to register the sections of the keeper A with the groove B on, opposite sides of the valve stem C. The operators grip :on the loop handle is then released to permit the gripping end of the tool to position the keeper A within the groove B. The

spring E is permitted to expand and forces the collar D to receive the keeper A in the recess therein, after which the tool may readily be withdrawn from the stem C. From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

In a valve keeper inserting tool, a length of spring wire shaped to form a crossed loop, a pair of shank sections extending outwardly of the crossed portions of the loop, an arcuate jaw formed on the outer end of each of the said shank sections, the said jaws being yieldingly urged to contacting closed positions by the loop, a sleeve secured to the inner portion of each shank section and disposed parallel therewith, a resilient arm having its inner end fixed within each sleeve and extending outwardly thereof approximately parallel with each shank section, and an arcuate jaw formed on the outer end of each resilient arm, the said jaws on the arms being disposed in complementary relation and in coa'cting association with the jaws on the shank sections for releasably gripping the complementary sections of a valve keeper.

ARON C. CURLEE. 

